pv celltech

Swiss-based PV manufacturing equipment specialist INDEOtec SA has successfully gained tool acceptance for its PECVD process tools from both Fraunhofer ISE and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia for next-generation heterojunction solar cells.

‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Trina Solar has set a new record 25.04% conversion efficiency for an N-type monocrystalline IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) solar cell at its State Key Laboratory (SKL) of PV Science and Technology (PVST) that was independently certified by Japan Electric Safety and Environmental Technology Laboratory (JET).

PV capital expenditure (capex) in 2018, covering investments into ingot, wafer, cell and module capacity, will grow by almost 25% compared to 2017, passing through the US$10 billion mark, returning to levels last seen back in 2010 and 2011 when investments in turn-key thin-film fabs were a key contributor.

A research project to identify solar cell conversion losses and provide commercial solutions, which was initiated in December 2017 by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), has attracted ‘Silicon Module Super League (SMSL) leader JinkoSolar.

Specialist PV manufacturing equipment supplier Amtech Systems has continued to benefit from a major solar orders placed with the company in 2017 that are continuing conversion to revenue in its fiscal first quarter of 2018.

The Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH) and the Leibniz Universität Hannover have produced lab cells using polysilicon on oxide – POLO – junctions, in an interdigitated pattern on the rear side and a specially treated p-type monocrystalline wafer to record a cell conversion efficiency of 26.1%.

Major metallization paste producer Heraeus Photovoltaics said it had recently helped a customer achieve a validated world record in PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) conversion efficiencies as strategic investments in R&D and staffing in Asia had been validated.

Specialist semiconductor and PV equipment supplier Intevac is still having issues securing delivery dates for an order for 12 ‘ENERGi’ solar ion implant tools to a customer in China, which is planning to ramp N-type mono IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) solar cells and modules.

Russia-based integrated PV manufacturer Hevel Group, which has switched production from amorphous silicon thin-film technology to silicon heterojunction (HJ) has said it has been successful in ramping to its 160MW nameplate capacity and achieving cell conversion efficiencies of 22.8%.

The third annual PV CellTech conference takes place in Penang, Malaysia on 13-14 March 2018, and this year’s event has been structured to explain exactly what is happening with the multi-GW expansion plans for high-efficiency cell concepts, across the industry’s established producers and the wave of new entrants that are seeking to influence cell availability in 2018 and beyond.